Woman indicted in Skokie crash that killed boy, 9, riding his bike

A grand jury has indicted a 23-year-old woman on charges that she was driving under the influence of drugs in May when she caused a chain reaction accident in Skokie that claimed the life of a 9-year-old boy, prosecutors said Thursday.

Hanin Goma, of the 5000 block of Wright Terrace in Skokie, is charged with one felony count of aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death, and a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of drugs, prosecutors said during an appearance at the Cook County courthouse in Skokie.

Jailed in lieu of $250,000 bond, Goma was in court for the brief hearing. She is scheduled for a July 9 preliminary hearing at the Skokie courthouse, where she will be arraigned on all charges, prosecutors said.

According to investigators, Goma was driving from her job at the Grecian Kitchen on the afternoon of May 21 when she turned left onto Main Street in Skokie from St. Louis Avenue and struck an eastbound Ford Transit Van, causing her car to spin over the median and land on the northeast corner sidewalk, where Carter Vo, of the 4600 block of Madison in Skokie, was riding his bike.

Authorities say that Goma’s car pushed the bike across St. Louis Avenue, where it continued to slide until it hit a parked car. Vo, a second-grader at Madison Elementary School in Skokie, died at the scene.

Prosecutors said that blood and urine tests showed that Goma had cannabis and amphetamines in her system when the crash happened.

Soon after the crash the village announced that it is doing a traffic safety analysis of the intersection and nearby intersections.

Goma has had minor run-ins with the law in the past, according to court records.

She was charged in March of 2011 with a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of cannabis, and criminal damage to property. She was also issued two driving tickets, according to the court record.

On July 8, 2011 a warrant was issued when she failed to show up at a court hearing in Skokie, according to records.

On August 10, 2011 she pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of cannabis, was fined $325 and sentenced to 3 months court supervision and 24 hours community service, which she successfully completed. The other charges, including the tickets, were dismissed, according to records.

She also was charged in May 2008 with shoplifting, a misdemeanor which was eventually dismissed on Oct. 21, 2008 after she attended a diversion program for people charged with theft.